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Cricket Players'Had 10 minutes to get ready': Axar tells staggering details of events leading up to substitute Bharat taking the field
Axar Patel, who starred with a five-wicket haul on Day 3 of the IND vs NZ 1st Test, revealed staggering details on substitute wicketkeeper KS Bharat's arrival on the field.
Off spinner Axar Patel was the star of Day 3 of the 1st Test between India and New Zealand at Green Park in Kanpur. He bagged his fifth five-wicket haul, in just 7 innings, to bail India out of trouble and help the side gain a 49-run lead at the end of NZ's first innings. But there was another player who stole the show on the field; enter KS Bharat.
The substitute wicketkeeper had to rush out to the field following Wriddhiman Saha's departure from the field. After scoring just 1 off 12 balls with the bat, the Bengal stumper kept wickets for 55 overs on Day 2. However, when he did not turn up with the gloves on Day 3, the BCCI provided an update via Twitter and it read:
“Wriddhiman Saha has stiffness in his neck. The BCCI medical team is treating him and monitoring his progress. KS Bharat will be keeping wickets in his absence.”
Apparently, as per Axar Patel's admission during the press conference at the end of Day 3, Bharat only had 10 minutes to get ready.
“It’s not at all easy if you are in the 15 and all of a sudden you are asked to rush to the field. When Wriddhi bhai’s neck became stiff, he was practising at the ground, strolling in the morning, and then he had some 10 minutes to get ready. And to keep on these wickets is tough in itself, the way he was collecting, the way he was catching, the way he did that stumping, so I feel he will improve further with time,” Axar elaborated.
Despite the urgency, Bharat showed no signs of slacking as he effected three brilliant dismissals. First, he took a sharp catch off the bowling of R Ashwin to dismiss Will Young. Next, he took another sharp catch off Axar's bowling to send Ross Taylor packing. And finally off Axar's bowling, he showed great reflexes to stump Tom Latham out on 95 and dent the Black Caps' chances further of getting close to the Indian total.
At Stumps on Day 3, the hosts lead by 63 runs. After posting 345 in the first innings, India bowled the Kiwis out for 296. Kyle Jamieson cleaned up Shubman Gill in the final half-an-hour of play as Mayank Agarwal (4*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (14*) took India to 14/1.
